S E1265: In Class with Carr, Ep. 265: “DEI Gone Wild!”

This week, Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunch offered expansive public remarks that help reframe how we think about nationhood, identity, and responsibility to the group. While we often see ourselves bound by narratives tied to constructs like “nations,” Bunch’s assertion that there is no single U.S. narrative—that there are many stories—reminds us that our existence is both local and global, rooted in daily life yet connected to distant people and places. Our Africana Studies framework, grounded in deep listening and study, helps us engage a world where European expansion forged global contact that now erodes borders—even as politicians cling to them for control. Trade dissolves commercial lines while fear-based politics tries to reassert them. Are they incompatible? As migration, regionalism, and networks grow, so does fear among those defending an unequal global order. But through libraries, courts, classrooms, and culture, people resist. Stories expand. In the post-national world, power shifts. People think. They resist. They fight on, “‘til victory is won.”JOIN KNARRATIVE: https://www.knarrative.com it's the only way to get into #Knubia, where these classes areheld live with a live chat.To shop Go to:TheGlobalMajorityMore from us:Knarrative Twitter: https://twitter.com/knarrative_Knarrative Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/knarrative/In Class with Carr Twitter: https://twitter.com/inclasswithcarrSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In a week when the imposition of US tariffs by an increasingly unstable federal government weaponized by white nationalism pushes the US and global economies towards global recession and depression, the University of South Carolina Women’s Basketball Team highlights ongoing tensions between race, power, and control in U.S. society.While Black students make up only 10% of USC’s student body, they represent over a quarter of the state’s population. Meanwhile, South Carolina’s political power is shaped by hyper-gerrymandered districts, allowing white nationalist control, seen in actions like the state legislature’s recent ban on DEI initiatives.The most potent DEI force in modern world history is the equity that blends the diversity in and inclusion of a full range of racial identities that mask under the label “White.”“March Madness” centers Black bodies on Basketball courts contrasted by predominantly white bands, cheerleaders, and fans whose own lives stand in sharp contrast to the lives of the families of those who entertain them in the arenas, making unavoidable issues of representation and control.In the week marking the 57th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination and funeral, we consider moral, ethical, and political challenges to those resisting diversity, revealing that their motives are rooted in full spectrum dominance, not dislike.Collective struggles for equity reveal clashing and irreconcilable societal visions.JOIN KNARRATIVE: https://www.knarrative.com it's the only way to get into #Knubia, where these classes areheld live with a live chat.To shop Go to:TheGlobalMajorityMore from us:Knarrative Twitter: https://twitter.com/knarrative_Knarrative Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/knarrative/In Class with Carr Twitter: https://twitter.com/inclasswithcarrSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The white nationalist movement in the U.S., now overburdening its manipulation of the electorate to dominate the executive and legislative branches, has become both more emboldened and chaotic in response to growing opposition from the courts, media, and the public.This movement, recognizing its increasing anxiety, has resorted to distractions such as controversial trips, absurd executive orders, and threats to impose harsher tariffs or force legal opponents into submission.An expected example of this is the Executive Order titled “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History,” which aims to revise history to align with the narrative of white supremacy, a key objective in their agenda. This fight is over reality as we remember it as a foundation for changing reality as we live it today and in the foreseeable future.This attempt, a key feature of state capture fascism globally, is also increasingly desperate and disruptive, seeking to distort history and manipulate public discourse.We must combat these efforts by reinforcing our collective memory and commitment to liberation, by engaging in what Jacob Carruthers has called “intellectual warfare.”It is crucial that we draw strength from the past. By strengthening our understanding of connections between the long view genealogy of our history, including ancient, medieval and more recent past resistance movements, we will better navigate the current political climate and continue our work towards eventual and sustainable liberation.These efforts require resilience and a clear sense of purpose, reminding us of the importance of historical consciousness in confronting the present.JOIN KNARRATIVE: https://www.knarrative.com it's the only way to get into #Knubia, where these classes areheld live with a live chat.To shop Go to:TheGlobalMajorityMore from us:Knarrative Twitter: https://twitter.com/knarrative_Knarrative Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/knarrative/In Class with Carr Twitter: https://twitter.com/inclasswithcarrSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

At the Second Annual Morehouse CANDLE Lecture and Forum, under the theme “Pushing the Limits of Education: Pedagogy for the 21st Century,” the documentary “Belonging Beyond Brown” prompted deep reflection on themes such as education, self-determination, class, race, and culture. The discussion reminds us that an Africana Studies framework offers a model for renewing African humanity and helping to link us to the global shift away from European-centered ideologies. This framework emphasizes unity among African people through education, governance, and historical flow and continuity, enabling the ability to overcome limitations imposed by white supremacy. By grounding ourselves in our own knowledge systems, African people can move toward true liberation, benefiting not only our own communities but humanity as a whole. Models of learning rooted in Africana Studies are crucial for African people to engage fully in the transformation of the global order in an increasingly multipolar, culturally plural world.JOIN KNARRATIVE: https://www.knarrative.com it's the only way to get into #Knubia, where these classes areheld live with a live chat.To shop Go to:TheGlobalMajorityMore from us:Knarrative Twitter: https://twitter.com/knarrative_Knarrative Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/knarrative/In Class with Carr Twitter: https://twitter.com/inclasswithcarrSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The last generation that fought for world-changing liberation during the Human and Civil Rights movements of the 1940s-70s is determined to institutionalize the lessons they learned for future generations.JOIN KNARRATIVE: https://www.knarrative.com it's the only way to get into #Knubia, where these classes areheld live with a live chat.To shop Go to:TheGlobalMajorityMore from us:Knarrative Twitter: https://twitter.com/knarrative_Knarrative Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/knarrative/In Class with Carr Twitter: https://twitter.com/inclasswithcarrSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

"In a world increasingly shaped by different forms of nationalism, the decline of the US empire accelerates as white nativists defend grifters rushing to harvest government infrastructure, threatening US influence and power on the global stage. Meanwhile, formations like the European Union and countries like China, Mexico, Canada, Brazil, and South Africa are quickly forging new paths, strengthening regional and global alliances in a post-American world. In the midst of these global shifts, it’s essential to remember grounding elements of human nature and experience which offer us best guidance on how to respond—if we can tune into them. As countries turn on and to each other, two songs by the new Ancestor Roy Ayers evoke a powerful question: how do we recognize and lift our shared humanity while still committing fully to our unique and useful cultural or national ties?”JOIN KNARRATIVE: https://www.knarrative.com it's the only way to get into #Knubia, where these classes areheld live with a live chat.To shop Go to:TheGlobalMajorityMore from us:Knarrative Twitter: https://twitter.com/knarrative_Knarrative Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/knarrative/In Class with Carr Twitter: https://twitter.com/inclasswithcarrSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The passing of Roberta Cleopatra Flack during the final week of Black History Month 2025 bracketed the close of an era of Cultural Meaning-Making that opened during a watershed generation of popular cultural self-determination in Africana Governance formations.JOIN KNARRATIVE: https://www.knarrative.com it's the only way to get into #Knubia, where these classes areheld live with a live chat.To shop Go to:TheGlobalMajorityMore from us:Knarrative Twitter: https://twitter.com/knarrative_Knarrative Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/knarrative/In Class with Carr Twitter: https://twitter.com/inclasswithcarrSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

As we approach the close of Black History Month 2025, our focus remains steadfast on drawing from the wisdom of our ancestors and examples from today, seeking guidance on how we can and will take meaningful action to address the challenges we face—locally, nationally, and globally.JOIN KNARRATIVE: https://www.knarrative.com it's the only way to get into #Knubia, where these classes areheld live with a live chat.To shop Go to:TheGlobalMajorityMore from us:Knarrative Twitter: https://twitter.com/knarrative_Knarrative Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/knarrative/In Class with Carr Twitter: https://twitter.com/inclasswithcarrSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In an interview with ally and race specialist, Tim Wise, Karen Hunter discusses the "Black Athlete" and why there is a need to control them and why the "outliers" in the black community should not be treated as the norm. #WhyWeKneelSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

As we enter the second half of Blackest History Month 2025, we reflect on themes of power, influence, culture, and resistance, particularly within the context of Black thought, history, and contemporary developments in the US and global social structures. The contrast between figures like Kendrick Lamar (highlighted during the Super Bowl) and Donald Trump illustrates how power often intersects with whiteness, capitalism, and entertainment to shape public consciousness. This is especially evident in major advertising events like the Super Bowl, where creating a cultural moment and capturing attention become paramount. Meanwhile, the increasing channeling of public resources into promoting visions of white supremacy and hypercapitalism has intensified to the point of impunity, daring the rest of us to resist it.Martin Kilson’s observation about shifts in African American intellectual and creative circles from pursuing power to emphasizing and commoditizing culture provides a lens through which we can examine intersections of cultural meaning-making and struggle. What happens when contemporary power dynamics—particularly regarding white nationalism and the redirection of both public and private resources—reduce Black Power to mere cultural posturing? Absent the deliberate connection of Movement and Memory to strengthening Africana Governance formations, can cultural influence contribute meaningfully to organizing, resisting, and building for the long term? Or is “playing the great American game” a never-ending cycle of diminishing returns?JOIN KNARRATIVE: https://www.knarrative.com it's the only way to get into #Knubia, where these classes areheld live with a live chat.To shop Go to:TheGlobalMajorityMore from us:Knarrative Twitter: https://twitter.com/knarrative_Knarrative Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/knarrative/In Class with Carr Twitter: https://twitter.com/inclasswithcarrSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.